Playa del Carmen- US Embassy just issued travel warning!

[Anonymous]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/bloodshed-in-paradise-tourists-in-jamaica-warned-to-stay-inside-resorts-as-gun-crime-soars/news-story/96f8500938c59edc8baea37fb73e91ca

Re: Jamaica.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got back from 4 days in Tulum last night. We had a wonderful time and felt generally very safe. We saw police with large machine guns (outside the bank and also in trucks) but you see that in a lot of countries and I think we're fast approaching having that in the US.

We were talking about how unfortunate it is that Mexico has enough crime to give it a bad rap. The culture was amazing... we loved seeing the ruins (Coba and Tulum), swimming in Cenotes, and floating down a natural lazy river in Muyil. The people were wonderful and kind.

I would have thought an AI in PDC would be safer than an Air BNB in Tulum but I guess there's more to it. It sucks that this will scare off more tourists because everyone we talked to (Mexicans and ex-pats) had so much pride and love for Mexico.

Yeah, no, we’re not fast approaching having Police with machine guns at the ready everywhere here. In Mexico they are also in the airports and other places. It’s no comfort - watch yourself on any tours or field trips. We were repeatedly bribed and threatened on bus tours in Mexico by aggressive tour guides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to Puerto Rico. And support our fellow Americans.

+100000 it's so beautiful there.

Puerto Rico is beautiful. They’ve needed to build up their resort hotels there for a while as some of them are run down. They’re probably working on that now with insurance money maybe. The major chains like Hilton and Marriott are nice though.
What about the Bahamas? Can’t afford it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got back from 4 days in Tulum last night. We had a wonderful time and felt generally very safe. We saw police with large machine guns (outside the bank and also in trucks) but you see that in a lot of countries and I think we're fast approaching having that in the US.

We were talking about how unfortunate it is that Mexico has enough crime to give it a bad rap. The culture was amazing... we loved seeing the ruins (Coba and Tulum), swimming in Cenotes, and floating down a natural lazy river in Muyil. The people were wonderful and kind.

I would have thought an AI in PDC would be safer than an Air BNB in Tulum but I guess there's more to it. It sucks that this will scare off more tourists because everyone we talked to (Mexicans and ex-pats) had so much pride and love for Mexico.

Yeah, no, we’re not fast approaching having Police with machine guns at the ready everywhere here. In Mexico they are also in the airports and other places. It’s no comfort - watch yourself on any tours or field trips. We were repeatedly bribed and threatened on bus tours in Mexico by aggressive tour guides.

Those tour guides in Mexico (this was Cancun) tried to steal our luggage when we were leaving because they didn’t think that we gave them a big enough tip/bribe. We watched this guy take our luggage off the bus as we were getting ready to leave for the airport. We then thankfully watched as another employee retrieved it and put it back on the bus for us. Apple Tours. That was the last time we went and we never took our kids.
I know it’s cheap but so much crazy stuff went on there - buses and small boats competing for customers and doing unsafe things (speeding, leaving us in the ocean?). Spiked drinks? The drug murders, while not at the tourist destinations, are awful and brutal. The corruption and resulting poverty of the people is awful - maybe that is what is fueling the new found violence?

Mexico does rely on tourist dollars so they will have to figure it all out.
D

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know Mexicans who won’t travel there, even to visit family. I love Mexico, but it’s not a relaxing vacation if there is even a little fear in the back of my mind. DH and I recently canceled a trio there due to his work. Instead of rescheduling, I’m going to book a trip elsewhere.

What are you talking about? I'm Mexican and find this hysteria funny. I feel safer in Cancun than DC and the crime stats support this.

Then why are you living here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somewhat off-topic but looking at options for rescheduling. Is Jamaica/Montego Bay safe enough for a family vacation?

Jamaica is so much worse...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somewhat off-topic but looking at options for rescheduling. Is Jamaica/Montego Bay safe enough for a family vacation?

actually no. People are being told not to leave their resorts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is this latest warning based on? I was aware that in the past few days/weeks, there was a prohibition from US gov. employees using the ferry to Cozumel from Playa. We were going to do that, but I figured we could just make alternate plans.

DH is a fed. I wasn't going to tell him about the ferry issue until later (and it might have been lifted by the time we were there). But, now... we have a problem! This is our big international trip with the kids! Flights are paid for. Condo is paid for. Right in Playa. I'm not going to cancel anything yet... the advisory could change by the time we plan to leave. But, dang! What a pain in the neck. I probably have to tell DH.

We were gonna go next week despite the warnings.

Seriously WATCH THIS
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Otp-0dnT3NQ

THE story has been buried by the media. Two bombs in the last month in Playa.

How is this NOT being reported more widely?

I'm the poster that just got back from Tulum - I am SHOCKED that I didn't hear about that bombing before I left. I am a total news junkie. It definitely wasn't well covered until the travel warning came out this week. I will say - if I had seen that before I left, I would have seriously considered cancelling the trip. I'll also say I'm glad I didn't because I had a great time...

Seems lucky the bomb went off while the ferry was basically docked. It doesn't look like it damaged the boat in a way that would have caused it to sink, but if it had been in the middle of the water it would have been a bit more of a hassle. I can't believe nobody was killed.

We were considered PDC for a big extended family trip next summer and it's probably off the table.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone recommend some nice family-friendly resorts in safe places? I am trying to book a new trip last minute. Looking for specific resorts. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mexico has been unsafe for years. I don’t get why people still go there. So many other options.

Many areas in Mexico are far safer than Baltimore, New Orleans, DC.

It's a huge country. There are areas where there is no way I would visit, but many others are safe and wonderful.

I wouldn’t vacation any of those places either.

Whatever. Just hang out and clutch your pearls. I’m happy to take my kid to the Baltimore Aquarium and have a crab cake at a good restaurant afterwards. And I’ve also had great trips to the Cancun area. Your chance of dying in a random car accident is much higher than being killed in a random act of terrorist violence.

You're free to travel where you choose, but you're absolutely wrong to equate TARGETED CRIME AGAINST TOURISTS with "random terrorist violence."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend some nice family-friendly resorts in safe places? I am trying to book a new trip last minute. Looking for specific resorts. Thanks

Panama and Costa Rica both have many family-friendly resorts - Westin, etc. Neither are on State Department lists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend some nice family-friendly resorts in safe places? I am trying to book a new trip last minute. Looking for specific resorts. Thanks

Grand Cayman. The Ritz and Westin on Seven Mile are great. We've also stayed in a Marriott a mile away. Lovely, peaceful, not touristy, good restaurants and grocery stores nearby.
We've been to Puerto Rico many times but not since Irma. It's also wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend some nice family-friendly resorts in safe places? I am trying to book a new trip last minute. Looking for specific resorts. Thanks

Grand Cayman. The Ritz and Westin on Seven Mile are great. We've also stayed in a Marriott a mile away. Lovely, peaceful, not touristy, good restaurants and grocery stores nearby.
We've been to Puerto Rico many times but not since Irma. It's also wonderful.

where would you stay in puerto rico? and does anyone know if it's Ok to go now/what the status of the island is?

[Anonymous]

We are going to Puerto Rico in a couple weeks and staying at the Condado Vanderbilt in San Juan. We've stayed there before and loved it. We have friends who were just there and said that everything is up and running in that area. Lots of restaurants are open again. We figured that we'd spend our tourist dollars there to help boost their struggling economy. Flights and hotel rooms are not expensive.

[Anonymous]

We are going to Akumal in May. Staying in a house on the beach. A family member is taking us, and footing the bill. They've been to Akumal and Cancun several times. But my husband and I have never traveled to Mexico, or any other warm weather beachy country, for that matter.

Does anyone have concerns specifically about Akumal?

Would it be smart to stay put in Akumal, an not take excursions to Tulum? I don't know how they plan to travel (bus, rental car, not sure what's typical).

Seasoned travellers to Mexico, if you do plan to go to Akumal this year, do you have any safety tips?